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WhoMe

I was asked recently by public educators, "what Native American music resources I would recommend for grades K-5?"
This came as a response to a parent who complained that the music that is currently being taught is insulting and inappropriate to real Native people. The music in public schools that was cited is written by non-natives using Native themes and comparable to "1little, 2little, 3little Indians."

This bothers me.

So I ask you for your advice on what would be appropriate and guidelines for age appropriate music.

Should this music be in English and Native themed?

Should it be authentic tribal music?

Should public schools even be teaching "Native" music in the first place?

Should we be teaching our own before we teach others?

When teaching should we use percussion instruments, as an aid?

What music resources are out there for young students?

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"English IS a foreign language. It did not originate on this land."

WhoMe

SuzzeQ4

they should either not teach Native music (themed or otherwise) or they should have some native community members (like yourself perhaps) come in and teach it for them. We often have people in our communities do such things. We stick to social songs. we don't teach the children to drum or sing them but we teach them a social dance to do while the other community members sing.

Joe's Dad

You need Blacklodge's Kids Pow-Wow songs CD. Been around for ages. I'll bet every powwowing family has one.

I'd still play if I had! LOL

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WhoMe

I never thought of that. You're right. Most powwow people know about their children's music.

Should public schools even be teaching about Indian music if there is no Natives to facilitate?

__________________
"English IS a foreign language. It did not originate on this land."

WhoMe

Joe's Dad

I was thinking it would be difficult to teach music to a general audience (K-5) on specific drumming styles/music. All kids identify or know the characters in that CD. It would bridge the gap between cultures.

Does anyone know of other children's powwow music?

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NorthofAda

I can only speak from my own experience.

I recently was asked to come and talk to the 5th-graders at my daughters' school when they were studying NDN culture back before Christmas break. We actually hooked up the teacher's laptop to a bigscreen and played some videos from PowWow TV showing some of the different dance styles and giving the kids a chance to hear powwow singing. Not "children's" music, per se, but an opportunity for them to hear the music in the context of its use. They seemed to enjoy and appreciate it.

I like JD's idea about using the Black Lodge CD's, too. This would be especially appealing to the younger grades I would think.

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Blackbear

Joanne Shenandoah had a CD called All Spirits Sing and it's a story of a young girl who gets lost in the woods cause she's embarrased at her singing voice... mostly original music, age appropriate for k-5, includes the friendship song which is a social song.

Then there is a compilation CD called, Under a Green Corn Moon but that's more a collection of different tribal "lullabyes".

I checked Zango and it brought up these... Search

you could check out SOAR as well and see what thye come up with.

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Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear... just sing, sing a song.